Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions
Chapter 206 - 177: Liverpool’s sword is sharp, but Inter’s blade is also swift!

Chapter 206: Chapter 177: Liverpool’s sword is sharp, but Inter’s blade is also swift!

In the stands, Gerrard’s figure suddenly erupted like a blazing firework, soaring into the sky with a bang!

Hiss—

A suppressed cry of pain followed, coming from his swollen ankle which felt like a bun, slicing through every nerve like a sharp blade.

Still, Gerrard passionately jumped up and hugged Liverpool legend Dalglish beside him!

"Haha, I knew we still had a chance!" Gerrard’s face was twisted, but his eyes shone with indomitable light.

"That’s right, we’re Liverpool, comeback is in our genes!" Dalglish, with his graying hair, spoke with exceptional determination.

On the substitute bench.

Balotelli crossed his legs, laughing and clapping! He had that look of understanding again.

"What did I say? Inter’s resilience is not as good as ours," he gestured to Lallana sitting on his left, "Apart from my old follower Santon, the players on the field lack European experience. They can’t handle us, Liverpool!"

Balotelli then said to Kolo Toure sitting on his right:

"Mancini, that old guy, I know him all too well. He’s bad at European competitions; he’s not on the same level as Mourinho, and I understand him, ha ha ha~"

In the live broadcast.

-[Whoa, scoring two goals in a row, now Inter’s situation is tough!]

-[The total score is 3-4, if Liverpool scores one more, it’ll be 4-4, tied, and they can go into overtime.]

-[Fake fans? Don’t know about the away goal rule?]

-[What’s this talk of overtime, first leg was 1-4, second leg is 3-0, Liverpool advances!]

-[Hey, hey, hey, it’s not like the match is prematurely ending, it’s just halftime!]

-[But Inter has no offense at all, aside from Tang Long, others are making too many mistakes, can’t even penetrate Liverpool’s penalty area, can’t get in.]

-[Yes, if this trend continues, might really get overturned in the second half!]

-[Liverpool fans quietly say, I know you all support Tang Long, so you also hope Inter wins, but our Liverpool is not as weak as you think.]

-[I’ve seen this episode before, 2005, Champions League final second leg, Liverpool scored three goals, overturned AC Milan!]

-[Could both reversal backgrounds come from Milan? Truly a tragic city...]

Halftime.

Inter players walked heavily into the players’ tunnel.

When they first came to this stadium, the players were curious, excited, and full of anticipation.

But now, their minds are full of tension!

We better not really get overturned, that would be too embarrassing.

"Embarrassing! Truly embarrassing!"

In the visitors’ locker room.

Mancini was furious, starting to blow dry the players with his hairdryer style rant.

He had anticipated that his disciples would be mentally cramped on their first time at Anfield, affecting their play on the field.

But conceding two goals in the first half, this situation was beyond Mancini’s expectations.

This was still while Gerrard, the opponent’s midfield general, was absent.

Truly bewildering.

But fortunately, leading by three goals from the first leg provided Inter enough margin for error.

With rapid speed, Mancini scribbled on the tactics board, pointing out problems and changes needed for the second half.

Only, who knows how much the players actually listened?

With slight apprehension, Mancini left.

The locker room was left with Inter players only.

Without the head coach around, players felt freer and started discussing.

"Their pace is too fast, evidently twice as fast as the first leg. I’m running too much in the midfield, and I definitely can’t keep this up till the end!" Gualin panted heavily.

"We must watch out for Philippe Coutinho, that little Brazilian is great at dribbling, he could easily trick us if we’re not careful!" Medel specifically mentioned Liverpool’s midfield player.

"Two flanks need to protect me more, otherwise Sturridge will keep getting behind me, he’s too fast, I can’t keep up anymore." The center-back Juan was worried.

"Sterling’s runs are unpredictable; I can see it clearly from the goal line, he’s running circles around the center-backs. He’s disrupting your vision; the key is on Henderson’s late runs, watch for his long shots, must guard the arc!" Old goalkeeper Handa said.

The locker room buzzed with discussions.

Everyone said Liverpool’s offensive power was too strong, seeing the big win in the first leg was just an accident.

The atmosphere in the locker room was a bit panicked!

At this moment.

Santon, who hadn’t been speaking, chimed in.

"Hey, everyone, listen to me!"

As the team’s sole remnant of the 2010 treble winner.

Santon commanded substantial respect in Inter’s camp.

He had a reserved personality, usually not very talkative.

But when he spoke, everyone listened to his opinion.

"All you’re saying is how strong Liverpool is. They are strong indeed, but in two-legged ties, it’s about the total score."

"You’ve forgotten a crucial point!"

"In European competitions, courage is the key!"

"We just need one more goal to definitely smash them!"

Tang Long also stood up.

"I think Santon is right; as long as we quickly score our first away goal, the total score can go to 5-3, and Liverpool would need to score at least two more goals to avoid elimination."

"Don’t worry; the initiative is still in our hands!"

Icardi slammed the bottle he was holding against the tactics board!

"Don’t be intimidated by Mancini. We’re leading on total scores right now, haven’t been eliminated yet, right?"

"Just score one more, stop rambling!"

Santon, Tang Long, Icardi.

The voices of these influential players in the team temporarily stabilized the locker room’s mindset.

Everyone nodded frequently.

Yeah, so what if two goals were scored in the first half?

Total score 3-4, so what? Could it be that only Liverpool is allowed to score while Inter can’t?

Is your Liverpool goal guarded by a bus, or welded with an iron plate?

However, Tang Long still sounded the alarm for everyone!

He picked up the black carbon pen Mancini left on the table, knocked on the tactics board.

"Everyone needs to pay attention; in the second half, we must do one thing!"

"Whatever the cost, score before Liverpool!"

"If we score first, the initiative is entirely ours!"

"If they score first, they can defensively hold out the remaining time!"

Tang Long started drawing on the tactics board.

"Santon, I need you to press up as much as possible when attacking!"

"Gualin, your position is too deep; Henderson can score with a late long shot, and so can you!"

"Podolski, I know you’re tired, but you need to keep moving on the sides; if you don’t create space, we won’t have many passing opportunities!"

"Mauro, even if you can’t receive the ball, don’t fall back, just press by their last center-back Lovren. He played terribly last round, I don’t believe he won’t make mistakes!"

"Juan and captain, you have height; on set-pieces and corners, just charge into Liverpool’s penalty area; leave the back for Yuto Nagatomo, they’re fast, intercept the counter at the first chance!"

Yuto Nagatomo, usually silent in the locker room, only ever spoke to Tang Long.

This time, when he heard Tang Long say he should stay in the back for set-pieces and corners, he shouted in fear:

"You can’t do that; coach Bisik didn’t arrange it like this during training!"

Tang Long chuckled.

"Even I know Bisik is just a crony, came to Inter through former coach Mazzari. Yuto, you can ask Chiwo and see how he rates Bisik. Who do you trust, him or me?"

"Listen to Tang, let’s do it!"

Inter captain Ranocchia stood up, at 195CM he was like a lighthouse; everyone had to look up at him.

"Liverpool’s attack is indeed fierce, but just as Tang said, if we just score one against them, they’ll panic and lose their formation. We’ll definitely win the match!"

"Brothers, let’s go, press them at the start of the second half!"

"Don’t forget, we’re the second top-scoring team in Serie A; Anfield wants to shut us out? Dream on!"